You are not alone facing this mystery; we all struggle to understand the complexity of life. Rushford Lutheran Church is a place where you can come to learn about God's love for you, where you can grow in faith, use your gifts, and a place where you can share your joys and sorrows in a community of care, compassion and faith. We invite you to come and to experience the difference this makes in your life.

For more information about the mission and ministry at Rushford Lutheran Church please call (507) 864-7152 or e-mail rlc@acegroup.cc

Pastor's Thoughts

May the Lord our God bless us throughout this new year of 2012.  What does the word 'bless' mean to you?  Some may think of prosperity—an increase in their wealth.  Some might think of good health—a year free of medical problems or a restoration to good health.  Some might think of employment—a good job that will pay the bills.  A blessing means many things to people.

As your pastor I always think of your spiritual health.  Are you reading and hearing God's Word?  Are you growing in your faith?  Do you understand what God's will is for you?  So many people in our community stay away from church or are outside the faith.  What can we do to bring the love of Jesus to them so that they can experience the true meaning of life—that it is to be lived in a loving relationship with God and neighbor?  This is our task, our calling from God: to bring the gospel to all people in word and deed.

The cares of the world can overwhelm us at times.  The church seems insignificant to many.  They are busy getting what they want out of life, and at the moment that doesn't include a loving relationship with God.  The power of sin cannot be underestimated; its hold on the flesh is tremendous.  Idolatry is a tremendous enemy!  The church itself is so fractured with many conflicting teachings going out to the people.  What or who are they to believe?  They will believe what is important to them at the moment, what comforts them most, whatever agrees with their personal beliefs, irregardless of what God's Word says.  Because of this the task of evangelism becomes even more difficult.  It is much easier to win a person over to Christ who has never heard the gospel before and is an empty vessel waiting to be filled than a person who has been raised in the church and has rejected the teachings because of personal conflicts and cultural influences.  Pride thus enters in and becomes the greatest barrier to repentance.

God, however, continues to bless us with innumerable gifts and never stops loving us.  God keeps calling us back to himself, to live according to his will, his Word, his love.  God does not change; it is we who are called to change.  This change for us is always painful, a tearing apart of our very self, a dying to self in order that a new person might be born in Christ.  This is the blessing I wish for all of you this year.  Forget about the past.  Each day is a new day given to us by God to repent and live our lives in a right relationship with God.  Each year gives us the opportunity to live our lives differently than we did last year: giving more of ourselves for the sake of the gospel, living a better life in the beauty of holiness which God our Father has given us through his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  You are God's holy children if you do what he commands, being obedient servants to his Word.

Eleven months lay before us.  It is a voyage we all will take.  Who do you want to be when the year ends—someone who lived for yourself or someone who lived for Christ?  I rejoice when I see people who have given themselves over to the power of God's Word.  I grieve over those who continue to live in the darkness of their own idolatry.  For their sake we must invite and share with them our treasure—the gospel of our Lord Jesus that they may receive blessings anew.  In the cold of winter let our hearts warm to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus to go out and share the good news of Jesus our Lord.

In Christ's love,

 Roger

Pastor Roger Michaelson